Excercising on Vacation - Get Out and Have Some FUN!

Vacation is all about getting away. But there are some things that I just can't get away from. One thing is exercise. Why? Because I love it. Because it's fun! The first thing on my mind when I wake up is what type of workout I'm going to start my day with. Scratch that. The last thing I think of before I go to sleep at night is what I'll do to exercise the next day. There, that's a little more honest. And yes, that's even on vacation. The husband says that vacations are for resting. True, but some of us rest a little better after getting the endorphins flowing.

I love my gym -- the whir of the treadmills, the clanging of the weights, and the energy in the air as everyone is bustling about to meet their fitness goals. I love my group fitness classes and the participants even more. We work HARD together, and there's a feeling of camaraderie when you go through intense exercise together, especially when you accomplish things you never thought you'd be able to do!

But on vacation it is nice to have time away from the gym and to work out for me. I've had the best workouts this week. A coastal town has miles of roads and beaches, with gorgeous scenery, and built in air conditioning blowing in from the sea. No mirrors, mats, or HVAC this week.

Monday started with long runs on a coastal road. Tuesday started with a 24-mile bike ride with the husband. I'll be thinking of that bike ride for weeks to come during 6:00am spin classes! Wednesday was back to a good training run and a great walk along the beach with Mom. Since jellyfish were lining the wet shore, and I have a serious fear of jellyfish stemming from a bad childhood experience with a Portuguese Man o' War, we opted to walk, or march, in the deep sand. Wow, does that work the hamstrings, calves, and glutes!

And then there was Thursday. Oh, Thursday. I've been envisioning this workout for months. Seriously. I have a great 75 minute Vinyasa Flow Yoga CD by Baron Baptiste. I loaded it onto my iPod for times when I'm away from home and just need to start my day right. But the best thing about Thursday's yoga workout was that I set my mat up on the rooftop deck just as the sun was starting to take the chill out of the air. And this is what I got to see during my practice.

Unbelievable.

It's possible that I will never again be satisfied with another yoga experience.


And, savasana, or final relaxation pose, looking up at this sky left me giddy with excitement for the day.

So, at the close of this day, what do you think I'm considering?

That's right. Will tomorrow hold another long bike ride winding through more beach towns? Should I get that 10-mile training run out of the way before Saturday? Hmmmm.

I do know that whatever I choose it will start my day off right, it will be fun, it will be refreshing, and it will lead to rest.


And here's a funny little video that the husband took over his shoulder while biking. Exercise should always be FUN!